Waste retainer



March 13, 1945. J. MCMULLEN EIAL WASTE RETAINER Filed Sept. 9, 1943 JOHN M MUL LEN IN V EN TOR.

Patented Mar. 13, 1945 WASTE RETAINER John McMullen and Leo F. Rozesky, Buffalo,

N. Y., and John Heights, Ohio McMullen, Cleveland Application September 9, 1943, Serial No. 501,604

6 Claims.

'This invention relates, to waste retainers and more particularly to retainers adapted 'to be applied to the journal boxes of railway cars for preventing waste from being caught between the axle journals and their bearings and causing hot boxes.

The exigencies of war have placed a severe burden upon the equipment of the railroads. Equipment of every description has been pressed into service. The rigors of normal servicehave been greatly multiplied by the constant use of such equipment, the demands for higher speeds, and the lack of labor to properly service the equipment. These conditions have given rise to a large number of hot boxes which has posed a serious problem to the railroads. Hot boxes render equipment unserviceable and hamper the railroads in their war effort. The prevention or reduction in the number of hot boxes is, therefore, not only highly desirable, but is vital in the successful prosecution of the war.

It is, accordingly,- an object of this invention to provide waste retainers which shall be simple in construction; inexpensive, easily applicable to and removable from the journal boxes of cars already in service, without requiring any modification of said boxes and effectively prevent hot boxes by preventing waste grab.

A further object is to provide waste retainers which shall embody means for preventing waste from working through the openings in the journal boxes. V

A further object is to provide waste retainers which shalleffect economy of maintenance by reducing the labor required for waste adjustment within journal boxes.

A further object is to provide waste retainers which shall prevent destruction of waste by making the continual use of the waste packing iron unnecessary.

'A further object is to provide waste retainers which shall be so constructed as to automatically insure correct disposition of the retainers within journal boxes.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawing forming part of this specification:

Fig. l is an end elevation, partly in section, showing the invention in effective position within a journal box.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, partly in section, with one wall of the journal box removed to more clearly show the invention.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates a In order to properly lubricate the journal, oil

waste indicated at IE, is packed into the journal box between the bottom thereof and the under side of the journal ll. As the journal rotates in contact with the waste, it picks up oil vfrom the waste and carries it to the contacting surface of the bearing l5 so as to provide the necessary lubrication. However, it sometimes happens, and with greater frequency under present operating conditions, that the waste is caught between the bearing l5 and the journal H so that the contacting surfaces between the journal-and the bearing are deprived of the proper lubrication. When this occurs a hot box develops, necessitating the withdrawal of the car from service.

In order to prevent the occurence of such hot boxes, the instant invention provides means for retainin 'the waste in the lower portion of the journal box. The embodiment of this invention illustrated in the drawing comprises spaced, curved, metallic strips H and 18 which preferably are resilient in character so that they may be compressed in order to more readily permit in sertion into the journal box. The adjacent ends of the strips l1 and I8 are connected by means of members I9 and 2B. These members, which are preferably formed of fiat metallic strips, are partially slit crosswise intermediate their ends and the metal between the slits bent downwardly and towards each other to provide retaining'flanges #2! and 22. As more clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawing, it is preferred to bend the flanges downwardly below the horizontal so that they will be imbedded in the waste. The ends of the members I!) and 20 inwardly of the flanges 2| and 22 are adapted to abut the inner end of the journal box so as to position the waste retainer properly and are cut at an angle, as indicated at 23 to expedite insertion of the retainer into the journal box.

To further assist in properly positioning the retainer and to insure that it is level before waste is packed into the journal box, the retainer is provided with posts 24 and 25 pivoted adjacent to the outer ends of the members l9 and 20, respectively. After the retainer is inserted into the journal box the posts are swung upwardly and inwardly until they engage the top of the journal box adjacent to the opening therein. When the journal box lid (not shown) is lowered, it prevents disengagement of the posts from the journal box.

It has been found in actual service that the waste tends to creep outward through the opening in the journal box. To overcome this tendency, the outer ends of the members [9 and 20, which project forwardly of the collar l3, are turned inwardly to form flanges 26 and 21. A curved retaining member 28 is pivotally fastened to the flange 26 so as to swing in a vertical plane. In its effective position the member 28 lies be.- low the journal and between the waste 1'6 and the opening in the journal box. A similar-:retaining member 29 is pivotally fastened to the flange 21. The end of the member 29 is slit lengthwise providing portions 30 and 31. bent outwardly of the plane of the member. When the retaining members are in operative position, the adjacent end of the member 28 is received between the portions 30 and 31 of member l9v andthe members 2.8 and 2.9 are locked together against movement'out'wardly toward. the open end of the journal box.

The greatest utility of the waste. retainer of the instant invention lies in connection with the journal boxes of railway cars already in service. The retainer is inserted. within. the journal box through the opening, in the latter and. for this purpose the metallic strips H and. 18 are compressed. When the waste retainer has been in.- serted and the strips released, they will bear fric- The portion 3|. is.

tionally against the side walls of the. journal box.

and upon the bottom of said. box The posts 24 and are swung upwardly and. inwardly into engagement with the. top of the journal box. The waste It is then. packed into the journal box above the strips I! and I8 so. as to engage the flanges 2i. and 22.0f the members 19 and 211.. The members 28. and 29 are then swung downwardly in front. of the waste and interengaged. The danger of the waste being caught between the journal and its bearing is thereupon prevented or, at least, greatly minimized.

It will be apparent. that. numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in. the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended. within this invention, which isv to be limited only by the scope of. the. claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. A waste retainer adapted to be disposed Withinajournalbox enclosing a journal, said retainer comprising spaced curved,.resilient, metallic strips, members extending between and secured tothe upper portions of. said strips, said members extending inwardly of said strips toprovide shoulders, said strips being adapted to be compressed to place said retainer within a journal. box and released to cause said retainer to bear frictionally against the sides of the journalbox in spaced relationship with the journal, and means pivotally secured to said retainer and swingable transversely of the axis ofv said journal to position in front of waste packed. in said retainer to prevent said waste from creeping outwardly from said journalbox.

2. A waste retainer adapted to. be disposed withina journal box. enclosing a journal, said retainer comprising a substantially U-shaped body, inwardly directed, longitudinally extending shoulders on said body, said retainer being adapted to be placed in a journal box in spaced relationship with the journal, and means pivotally secured to said retainer and swingable transversely of the axis of said journal to position in front of waste packed in said retainer to preventsaid waste from creeping: outwardly from said journal box.

3. A Waste retainer adapted to be disposed within a journal box enclosing a journal, said retainer comprising a substantially U-shaped body, inwardly directed, longitudinally extending shoulders on the upper portions of the sides of said body, said retainer being adapted to be placed in the journal box in spaced relationship with the journal, and posts pivotally secured to the upper portions of the sides of said body for swinging movement parallel to the axis of said journal, said posts being swingable. into engagement with the top of said journal box to. main.- tain said retainer in position before waste is packed in said retainer.

,4. A waste retainer adapted to be disposed.

within a journal box enclosing a journal, said. retainer comprising a substantially U-shaped, resilient body, inwardly directed, longitudinally; extending shoulders. on said body,v said. body be.- ing. adapted. to be compressed to, place. said retainer in. a journal box andreleased to cause said. retainer to bearv f'rictionally against the. sides of the journal box, in spaced relationship with the journal}. means pivotally secured to saidretainer and swingable transversely of. the axis. of said journal to position in. front of waste packed in. said retainer to preventsaidwaste fromv creep.

ing outwardly from said journal box, and posts.

pivotally secured to each side of said body, saidv posts. being. adapted to. engage the journal boxv above the retainer,,for the purpose ,set forth.

5. A. waste retainer adapted to be. disposed within. a journal box enclosing. a journaLsaidre.-- 7 tainer comprising spaced,

substantially UP shaped, metallic strips. metallic members. ex,-

tending between. and secured to said. strips, intwardly directed longitudinally extending flanges on said members, inwardly directed. transverse flanges on. said. members, and means pivotally secured to. said transverse. flanges. and: swingable. infront of Waste packediin said. retainer to.prevent said waste from creeping outwardly from said journal box.

6. A. waste retainer adapted. to be disposed within a journal box enclosing a journaL, said retainer comprising spaced, substantially U:- shaped, metallic strips, metallic: members extending. between. and secured to said strips, irrwardly directed longitudinally extending flanges on said members, inwardly directed transverse flanges on. said members, meanspivotally secared to said transverseflanges and swingable infront of. waste packed. in said-.retainer toqprervent said waste from creeping outwardly from. 

